The present invention relates to a disposable body fluids absorbent padding and more particularly, to a disposable body fluids absorbent padding such as a menstruation pad, a diaper for infants, a diaper for incontinence and the like having a topsheet capable of concealing body fluids having been absorbed by a core in the padding.
It is well known to use a hydrophobic nonwoven fabric as material for a topsheet not only to alleviate an uncomfortable feeling of wetness for a wearer's skin due to body fluids but also to enhance a body fluids permeability. However, this topsheet is generally poor in its capability of preventing body fluids once having been absorbed by the core, from flowing backward (i.e., resulting in rewetting) and often gives a wearer the feeling of wetness due to such backward flow. This topsheet is also poor in concealing the body fluids having been absorbed by the core and, for example, in the case of a menstruation pad, the core smeared with menstrual discharge is often uncomfortably remarkable for a wearer when the used pad is disposed.
In connection with the above-mentioned smear concealing capability of the topsheet, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Sho 57 - 1340 teaches that it is effective to use a hydrophobic film having openings each of an equivalent hydraulic diameter less than 0.025 inches as the topsheet. This reference teaches also that a thin layer comprising uniformly distributed fluff pulp or synthetic fiber may be bonded to the inner surface of the film with the thin layer being in contact with the core during use and thereby body fluids permeation to the core may be promoted. However, the film disclosed in this reference is nothing but so-called plastic film presenting the touch falling far short of that presented by a nonwoven fabric and too closely contacting a wearer's skin, often causing stuffiness or eruption.
In view of these problems, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved disposable body fluids absorbent padding allowing the above-mentioned problems left behind by the prior art unsolved to be solved by using a topsheet made of a nonwoven fabric comprising high density zones and low density zones, each of said high density zones being provided on its upper surface with a strip of plastic film bonded thereto.